Associate vs. Baccalaureate degrees in Nursing

J_W, DNP, APRN, CNS · Mar 28, 2001

buck227-

Agree with shannonB25, I hope you are joking, if not you are truly what is wrong with this profession, to think that because you went to hospital based diploma program, that these RNs are the only true nurses. Where to you get off saying this? What does that make the rest of us? I can say that when I graduated from my BSN program, I was more than prepared to work on the floor, and I did, a very busy 45bed ortho/neuro/eye surgery floor. I have seen very bad Diploma, ADN and BSN nurses that I wouldn't trust to care for dead rats, and I have seen very good Diploma, ADN and BSN nurses that I would trust my life to.

To answer to the original post-

I chose BSN program, because I already had BS in Psy, and it was not much more time to get BSN, and I knew that it would make me more marketable in the future. I also pondered graduate school, and finished this last DEC (MSN degree), so the BSN was helpful with this also. And I plan to continue my academics with Doctoral program somewhere. I can't say much about ADN program, I know my BSN program had plenty of clinical hours, and I had many opportunities to perform all those tasks(NG's foleys, IVs, ABG's, Team leading, Charge, trach care, etc) that ADN and diploma nurses get to do in their clinicals, I was very satisfied with my clinical hours, and the way I was prepared to function as nurse after graduation.

J_W, DNP, APRN, CNS · Mar 28, 2001

buck227-

Agree with shannonB25, I hope you are joking, if not you are truly what is wrong with this profession, to think that because you went to hospital based diploma program, that these RNs are the only true nurses. Where to you get off saying this? What does that make the rest of us? I can say that when I graduated from my BSN program, I was more than prepared to work on the floor, and I did, a very busy 45bed ortho/neuro/eye surgery floor. I have seen very bad Diploma, ADN and BSN nurses that I wouldn't trust to care for dead rats, and I have seen very good Diploma, ADN and BSN nurses that I would trust my life to.

To answer to the original post-

I chose BSN program, because I already had BS in Psy, and it was not much more time to get BSN, and I knew that it would make me more marketable in the future. I also pondered graduate school, and finished this last DEC (MSN degree), so the BSN was helpful with this also. And I plan to continue my academics with Doctoral program somewhere. I can't say much about ADN program, I know my BSN program had plenty of clinical hours, and I had many opportunities to perform all those tasks(NG's foleys, IVs, ABG's, Team leading, Charge, trach care, etc) that ADN and diploma nurses get to do in their clinicals, I was very satisfied with my clinical hours, and the way I was prepared to function as nurse after graduation.

RNforLongTime · Mar 28, 2001

I disagree with buck227's comment that diploma RN's are the only true RN's. I started out in a diploma nursing program. I was tortured by my clinical instructors and my nursing care plans were never good enough for them no matter how hard I worked on them. After "failing" a nursing course ( I had a 79.25% when passing was 80%), I decided to go to a BSN program at one of the State schools in PA(Edinboro University). I spoke with several people I knew who were RN's and they encouraged me to acquire my BSN because I'd have more opportunities in Nursing with a 4 yr degree than if I simply had a diploma. I agree that most of the diploma grads had a lot more clinical time than I had. The place where I was previously employed most of the RN's were grads from that hospital's nursing school, which is now closed(the school that is). We are all nurses whether we have a diploma or a 2 or 4 year college degree. We all took the same examination, the NCLEX-RN, to allow us to practice as RN's. If I was asked which one I think is better for someone who is considering nursing as a career, I would encourage them to go for 4 years because you get a well rounded education. Granted some of the classes that I had to take at college were poppycock, but I learned spanish and have a deep appreciation for classical music because of the classes that I was required to take to earn my 4 year degree. Graduating from college was the proudest moment of my life. It is something that I worked hard for and paid for on my own and I'll be paying on it for at least 5 more years and it's something that no one can take away from me. A BSN gives a nurse a lot of more opportunities to move into management or other things and some of the credentialing agencies require a BSN to become certified. I don't flaunt my BSN status and I don't think that I am a "better" nurse and look down on diploma or ADN grads. I do believe that a BSN is the way yo go.

RNforLongTime · Mar 28, 2001

I disagree with buck227's comment that diploma RN's are the only true RN's. I started out in a diploma nursing program. I was tortured by my clinical instructors and my nursing care plans were never good enough for them no matter how hard I worked on them. After "failing" a nursing course ( I had a 79.25% when passing was 80%), I decided to go to a BSN program at one of the State schools in PA(Edinboro University). I spoke with several people I knew who were RN's and they encouraged me to acquire my BSN because I'd have more opportunities in Nursing with a 4 yr degree than if I simply had a diploma. I agree that most of the diploma grads had a lot more clinical time than I had. The place where I was previously employed most of the RN's were grads from that hospital's nursing school, which is now closed(the school that is). We are all nurses whether we have a diploma or a 2 or 4 year college degree. We all took the same examination, the NCLEX-RN, to allow us to practice as RN's. If I was asked which one I think is better for someone who is considering nursing as a career, I would encourage them to go for 4 years because you get a well rounded education. Granted some of the classes that I had to take at college were poppycock, but I learned spanish and have a deep appreciation for classical music because of the classes that I was required to take to earn my 4 year degree. Graduating from college was the proudest moment of my life. It is something that I worked hard for and paid for on my own and I'll be paying on it for at least 5 more years and it's something that no one can take away from me. A BSN gives a nurse a lot of more opportunities to move into management or other things and some of the credentialing agencies require a BSN to become certified. I don't flaunt my BSN status and I don't think that I am a "better" nurse and look down on diploma or ADN grads. I do believe that a BSN is the way yo go.

taricha · Mar 28, 2001

I really get tired of the misconception that because I have my BSN I spent less time in clinical than an ADN graduate. My preceptorship alone was 180 hours, along with the standard 2 clinical days a week the last two years of school. I do feel we need to come together and decide on a standard prepatory course to be able to wear the title 'nurse'. It is confusing for our client population and requires constant community education to get the information across on the different types of nurses out there.

taricha · Mar 28, 2001

I really get tired of the misconception that because I have my BSN I spent less time in clinical than an ADN graduate. My preceptorship alone was 180 hours, along with the standard 2 clinical days a week the last two years of school. I do feel we need to come together and decide on a standard prepatory course to be able to wear the title 'nurse'. It is confusing for our client population and requires constant community education to get the information across on the different types of nurses out there.

2ndCareerRN · Mar 28, 2001

on all of you who insist on bringing up this tired old "I am better than you because....." what a load of s**t.

Education of one type or another does not make one a better nurse. Once everyone figures this out then maybe the back stabbing and gossiping that prevents nurses from becoming a cohesive group to be reckoned with will come to an end. (yea, about the same time pigs start to fly).

A nurse can only learn so much from any type of formal education. The real learning takes place after school is finished and the nurse starts working on the floor. After about 6 months most new grads, whether ADN or BSN are pretty much equal, from that point the ones who want to continue to learn do, and the lazy ones just exist.

And if you do not agree with me, so be it.

In fact, if you are one of the elitest BSN's who think you are so much better because of education, or the ADN who believes their clinical skills are so much better, then you can just kiss my .

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Haji

We live in an age that if you order a pizza delivered to your house and call 911 at the same time to report a life or death situation....my money is on the pizza arriving first! Learn to protect yourself, become a wolf among the sheep!

2ndCareerRN · Mar 28, 2001